Nightclubs and bars face smoking ban

Dubai: Nightclubs and bars will also face a smoking ban as part of the Dubai Municipality's plan to ban smoking at public places.

"Nightclubs and bars will have to regulate smoking in their premises after shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, public offices and many other public places," said Abdullah Rafe'i, Assistant Director General for Environment and Public Health Affairs at the municipality.

Rafe'i told Gulf News on Monday nightclubs and bars also fall in the category of public places and they would also have to regulate smoking. "They will have to have dedicated smoking areas or face fines," he said.

The municipality has already banned smoking in shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and amusement centres.

The move on ban on smoking follows a decision by the Dubai Executive Council to issue a law regulating smoking in public places.

The decision also comes in line with both the Dubai Strategic Plan 2007-2015, which seeks to protect public health and improve quality of life for UAE nationals and expatriates in Dubai, and the Strategic Plan of Dubai Municipality, which provides for ensuring purity of interior air quality and prevention of smoking in public buildings.

All persons below the age of 21 will also be barred from smoking zones, according to the municipality's plan. Also, there is a blanket ban on smoking in some places such as schools, educational establishments, hair-cutting saloons, health clubs, internet cafes, food courts and public offices.

Strict requirements

All restaurants and shopping malls are required to have designated smoking lounges or corners that meet all prevailing health prerequisites such as ventilation and smoke-absorbers. "They cannot allow smoking even in the dedicated areas if they don't meet these requirements," said Rafe'i.

Clarifying rules about fines for violators, he said that a person found smoking in the no-smoking areas will get fine of Dh500 for the first time. It will be raised to Dh1,000 for second offence, to Dh4,000 for the third time offence, and to Dh5,000 for any repeated offence.

A commercial establishment such as hotels, restaurants and coffee shops will face fines starting from Dh10,000 that could go up to Dh50,000 for not regulating smoking in their premises.

They are also supposed to stop people from smoking in the no-smoking areas in their premises and should call police in case a person continues to violate rule.